Mission Inn — Hands on History

The Aviation Artifacts of the Mission Inn Foundation allow world historical events to be placed in the context of the Mission Inn and Riverside, therefore making Riverside and the Mission Inn Foundation a local conduit of world history. Students will examine source material from the Mission Inn Foundation Aviation Module to gather pertinent data for a general understanding of how the Mission Inn is connected to world history.

On December 17, 1903, the first man-powered flight took place in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Orville Wright’s 12 second long historical flight happend in the same year that Frank Miller opened the Mission Inn Hotel in Riverside, California. During this time, other countries like France, Britain, Germany, and Italy were also experimenting with aircraft. The United States Army and Navy knew they needed to expand their aviation programs. Planes, airfields, and trained flyers were needed.

When the Army decided to establish an airfield in Riverside, Frank Miller, founder of the Mission Inn Hotel, helped to convince the U.S. government to locate an airfield east of Riverside. The first military plane landed at March Airfield on March 1, 1918; March Airfield still exists today.

Frank Miller and his family were fans of aviation and collected many souvenirs; they became friends of some famous aviators. To honor these brave men and women, Frank Miller and his family opened the Famous Fliers’ Wall at the Mission Inn Hotel in 1932. Copper wings that have each aviator’s name etched on them are hung on the wall. A ceremony is held each time a new pair of wings is added to the wall. Today there are 151 aviators that have their wings on the wall.

Frank Miller’s fascination with aviation can still be seen through aviation-related objects in several locations throughout the Mission Inn.

Background for the teacher:

Frank Miller and his guests were thrilled to learn of Orville Wright’s 12-second flight on December 17, 1903, the same year Miller opened his mission-styled hotel. Riverside was headed for an adventure in the skies that continues over 100 years later.

Despite the successes of the Wright Brothers and many other Americans, France, Britain, Germany, and Italy were at the forefront of aviation. The Army and the Navy were seeking to expand their fledgling aviation programs in the United States. Planes, airfields and trained flyers were needed. Could the Army be persuaded to establish an airfield in Riverside? Many believed it was possible, including Frank Miller, who had successfully helped establish Riverside County, the Citrus Experiment Station (now UC Riverside), the Sherman Indian School and of course, the Mission Inn. Miller and other community leaders convinced the U.S. government to locate an airfield east of Riverside. With the backing of the Riverside Chamber of Commerce, Frank Miller signed the deed transferring 640 acres of Alessandro Ranch to the Army Signal Corps. The first military plane landed at the new airfield on March 1, 1918, and by July, cadets were in training. Thus began an extraordinary part of Riverside County’s military history.

In a letter to friend General Hap Arnold, Dewitt Hutchings (Frank Miller’s son-in-law) once described himself as “Air Minded.” Although the term was not exclusive to the Miller-Hutchings family, they were the embodiment of it. They embraced flight with unmatched enthusiasm. The result was an extensive and eclectic military and civilian aviation collection, comprised of travel brochures, souvenirs, insignias, photographs, and a variety of other materials (even a bottle of Graf Zeppelin oil). The Miller-Hutchings had a circle of friends who shared their “Air Mindedness," including many associated with March Field, such as Generals Hap Arnold and Jimmy Doolittle. The family also collected memories of flights to South America, Europe, Asia, and points beyond.

The family's aviation-related objects were displayed in several locations throughout the hotel. Many were exhibited in a small structure called the “Pilot’s Roost” located above the St. Cecilia Chapel (opposite the entrance to the St. Francis Chapel). A small conference and dining room reserved for the military housed even more flight-themed objects.

In 1932, the International Shrine of Aviators was opened, encompassing the St. Francis Chapel and the adjoining St. Francis Atrio; the Atrio hosts the Famous Fliers’ Wall, which was used by the Miller-Hutchings family to recognize notable aviators. Today, 151 fliers or groups of fliers—most of whom were in attendance for their induction ceremonies--are honored there. Each aviator’s signature is etched onto a 10-inch wide pair of copper wings attached to the wall.

The "Air Mindedness" of the Miller-Hutchings family brought a soaring new element to the Mission Inn, and helped Riverside fly boldly into the future.

Guiding Questions:

How is aviation important?
All of the living WWII veterans are growing old and eventually they will all be gone. How do we remember them and what they did for our country?

Learning Opportunities: What do you expect your students to do by the end of this lesson? (Objective):

After viewing and hearing the contributions of Frank Miller, entrepreneur and early Riverside resident, as well as those aviators honored in the Mission Inn collection, students will be able to:

Read information about aviation topics based on informational materials.
Describe the physical and human geography and
use maps, tables, graphs, photographs, and charts to
organize information about people, places, and environments
in a spatial context, and create a timeline of the advances in
aviation over the past 100 years.
Write a paragraph for each entry on an aviation timeline.

Assessment: What evidence will let you know that each and every student has achieved this objective?

Guided Discussion Questions: What review, refocus, or leading will occur that will ensure that students are focused on the learning? (Anticipatory Set):

To introduce the topic of aviation and its connection to Riverside Mission Inn:

Amelia Earhart’s original attempt to fly around the world was from east to west. Why did she reverse her direction and attempt to make the trip from west to east? Discuss the two different routes.
What are some major changes in aviation from the 1930s to the present? How much faster is travel by air now?
Discuss how Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindberg were pioneers of aviation. Are there present-day aviation pioneers? Who are they and what are they doing?
Consider how aviation has changed over the past 100 years. How might aviation change for the next 50 years?
What are some ways we can remember and honor those people involved in aviation?

Instructional Plan: How will the lesson be structured? What strategies will be used? (Instructional Input):

A PowerPoint presentation is available for showing on LCD or printing and displaying on overhead projector. Explain that Frank Miller, local entrepreneur, was described as “air minded” because of his interest and passion for developments in aviation. Besides founding the Mission Inn in Riverside in 1903, Miller was instrumental in persuading the United States Departments of the Army and Navy to establish a military base in the county in 1918 (slide #4). Even before World War I, Mr. Miller dedicated much of his Mission Inn to honor the men and women involved at the time and for those influential in future aviation endeavors. Show Early Flight, March Field, Endorsement of Passenger Flight (slides #5-15).

Show the Aviator Wall (slide #16-19) and explain the creation and structure of this wall. Ask students if any names sound familiar as you review the list. You may wish to point out John Glenn, Eddie Rickenbacher, Chuck Yeager, Charles Lindbergh, the WASPS, Orville Wright, and Amelia Earhart (slides #20-24).

Discuss the question that although these aviators displayed a fearless spirit and innovation, a sense of bravery was also necessary to accomplish the feats involved. Imagine flying in a dirigible as large as a cruise ship. Show and describe the Zeppelin and in particular the Hindenburg (slide #25).

Materials needed to teach this lesson:

Classroom LCD projector or printout PowerPoint and use on overhead, or students may view from home or on classroom computer in small groups.
Computers for Internet research and or library and informational text resources.
Poster paper for groups to complete annotated timeline.

Groupings that will be used in this lesson:

Whole class for checking for prior knowledge, guided questions, viewing artifacts.
Independent for research.
Small groups to create annotated timeline.

Checking for student understanding:

Opportunities for students to practice the skill/concept: (Guided Practice):

Students will be given the opportunity for research of aviation history. After collecting research notes from Internet, library print informational materials and video; students will choose three of the most important and/or interesting events in aviation history. (See Online Resources list for sample timelines and online resources.) Teacher will check research notes before students proceed with group timeline.

Opportunities for students to practice the skill/concept independently: (Independent Practice):

Using research notes, students will individually write a paragraph for each of the three aviation events. Working in small groups, students will create a poster to include an aviation timeline of the first 100 years in aviation history. Timeline will include paragraphs for each event and an illustration for each event to match the paragraph.

Opportunities for students to reflect, summarize, clarify, or explain learning: (Closure):

Oral presentation of timeline
Timeline display

Extensions:

Invite guest speakers.
Field Trip to March Field Air Museum followed by classroom discussions and recording learning experiences in individual journals.
Pretend you are Amelia Earhart and you are planning your historical flight. Make an itinerary for your trip showing your destinations. What will you eat along the way? How much food and water should you take? How far will you fly each day? What type of clothes will you pack? How much luggage can you take with you?
Study the Aviation Lesson Plan objects and photos. How has aviation changed from so long ago to now? Do airplanes look different? Would it take as long to fly somewhere now as it used to? Do you think that these historical fliers were brave? Would you want to do what they did? Tell us why. Write five sentences answering the above questions.
Draw a picture of a WWII bomber and add your own nose art.
Look up additional web sites on the Internet related to your specific aviation interests.

English Learners:
Beginning:

Students will complete sentences with the use of word banks.
Students will look at Aviation Lesson Plan objects and identify them during classroom discussions.
Students will make vocabulary cards from lesson plan vocabulary list and play vocabulary games .

Intermediate:

Students participate in group writing activities and exercises following a model given by the teacher.
Use drawings, pictures, lists, charts, and tables from the Aviation Lesson Module to hold group discussions and independently answer questions. Write short paragraphs.
Write at least four sentences that include elements of an Aviation Lesson Plan object.

Advanced :

Students will read and study information provided by Aviation Lesson Plan.
Students will write reports that describe the setting and historical events of a chosen Aviation Lesson Plan object and make oral presentations.

G.A.T.E. Students:

Students will conduct classroom debates/discussions regarding how aviation has changed through time and its effect on daily life.
Conduct classroom discussions about their individual aviation projects to discuss theories and interests of history of aviation.
Students will write sentences/paragraphs on chosen specific aspect of aviation.